Bert Jansch was one of the most important figures in British folk, both for his solo recordings and his work with seminal British folk group, The Pentangle.

Born in Scotland, he was steeped in American blues and jazz, North African music, and folk early in his career, and by the beginning of the ’60s he was playing the British folk clubs, extending his musical education. Artists like Martin Carthy and Anne Briggs turned him on to songs in the British folk tradition. By the mid-’60s Jansch had set up residence in London where he began and playing live shows making the studio recordings that would come to influence a generation of songwriters, singers, and guitar players. Classic artists like Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Donovan, Elton John, and Nick Drake, all the way up to present artists like Fleet Foxes and Devendra Banhart, have acknowledged Jansch as a major influence and innovator of acoustic guitar playing. By his second album, Jansch was collaborating with John Renbourn, another seminal British folk guitar giant. Together in 1967, they formed The Pentangle, one of the most important British folk groups of the ’60s. Bert Jansch is listed as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “Top 100 Guitar Players Of All Time.”

Recorded in June of 1981, Heartbreak was produced by two enthusiastic fans, brothers Rick and John Chelew. They borrowed money from their mother to finance the sessions and to pay enlisted musicians like Albert Lee and Jennifer Warnes to accompany Bert in the small Silverlake Studio where the album was recorded. During the sessions for the album, Bert also played a few live gigs at the legendary folk club, McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California. As John Chelew was assisting with the booking of the club, it made sense to book Bert and help him earn some side money during the recording of Heartbreak. Fortunately for us, Rick and John had the foresight to document these concerts, and now the 30th Anniversary edition of Heartbreak has been further enhanced by a previously unreleased, complete live show from McCabe’s Guitar Shop.